Baptism
Baptism (also known as Christening) is the sacrament through which God declares that those being baptised are becoming part of his family, the church. At Christ Church this is important to us and we are happy to baptise babies, children and adults (who have not been baptised already as infants). The whole ‘Sssh Free’, children friendly nature of our 9.30 service (including our many children’s groups) is based upon giving concrete expression to the truth that baptised babies and children are full members of the church rather than ‘members in waiting’.
Everyone is welcome to join God’s family through baptism. Baptism only makes sense, however, if those being baptised then become regular members of the church. We are delighted when our first contact with people is through their enquiring about the christening of their children but also ask that both parents and children start attending the 9.30 service which will make clear what baptism involves. Once you start attending the 9.30 service, which is very busy, do introduce yourself to our vicar Stephen Kuhrt or one of the other leaders – if they don’t find you first! A second part of the preparation for christening is an evening where parents watch a DVD about baptism and have the chance to discuss this with the clergy before a date for the baptism at the 9.30 service is then arranged with the Church Office.
The birth of children is usually a very joyful event and frequently leads parents into a much deeper sense of the reality of God and the desire to respond to this. Our largest area of growth at Christ Church is that of young families with the christening of a child and the thought involved in this often playing a central role in families’ decision to becoming committed members of Christ Church. Our hope and our aim is that every person baptised at Christ Church then becomes a regular and valued member of our church family whom we can then help to support throughout the whole of their life